Fifth-wheel



(NoModeL) H. P; KELLY.

FIFTH WHEEL. No. 419,679. Patented Jan. 21,1890).

lhogmpher, wmm mn. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY P. KELLY, OF SAN FERNANDO, CALIFORNIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,679, dated January 21, 1890.

Applicationfiled September 13, 1889- Serial No. 323,880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Fernando, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Dust-Proof Anti-King-Bolt Fifth- WVheel for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of fifthwheels in which a cap-plate and a base-plate are secured together by means of interlocking flanges and projections.

Theobject of my invention is to provide a neat and compact device for coupling the front axle and bolster of a four-wheeled vehicle, whereby the necessity of a king-bolt will be avoided, and whereby all dust will be excluded from the bearings between the axle and bolster. I accomplish this by means of the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical mid-section taken at right angles to the axle and bolster when the same are locked together by my newly-invented fifth-wheel. Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom of the cap-plate of my improved fifthwheel. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base plate of the wheel.

The cap-plate A is secured to the under side of the bolster 13. Two concentric annular flanges C D project from the under side of the cap-plate A. The outer flange C is a plain cylindrical flange. The inner flange D is channeled to receive the ends of lugs F, which project inward from annular or cylindrical flange H on the base-plate Ithat is to say, the outer end of the flange D is provided on the outside with a circumferential flange E in the channel, between which and cap plate A the lugs F are adapted to fit. The lugs F project inward from the cylindrical flange H, which projects from the upper side of base-plate I, and are arranged on opposite sides of the base-plate on a line at right angles to the axle J, upon which the baseplate is secured. Notches K are provided in the flange E on a line with the bolster B to allow the lugs F to be inserted into the channel between flange E and cap-plate A.

To adjust my improved fifth-wheel for use, the cap-plate A is secured to the bolster and the base-plate I is secured to the axle. The bolster is placed at right angles to the axle, and the notches K are brought into coincidence with the lugs F, thereby allowing the lugs to pass through the notches into the channel between E and A. The bolster is then turned into line with the axle, (the lugs F moving along the channel between E and A,) and when in this positionthe flange E prevents their removal, thus securing the bolster and axle together. Braces L M may then be pivoted to the reach N and axle J, thus completing the attachment. These braces, when in place, prevent the bolster from being turned into position to allow lugs F to be withdrawn through notches K. The same service is performed by the wagon-bed when in position on the bolster.

The cap plate prevents any dust from reaching the wearing parts, and oil introduced into the chamber formed between the plates and flanges will lubricate the bearin gs without loss of oil.

The plates A and I can be readily cast and can be made at a very slight expense.

Now, having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the cap-plate, having on its under face the downwardly-projecting plain outer cylindrical flange and inner annular flange concentric therewith provided on its outside with the circumferential notched flange, and the base-plate provided with the upwardly-projecting annular flange fitting into said outer flange and having the inwardly-proj ecting lugs.

HENRY P. KELLY.

Witnesses:

J AMES R. TOWNSEND, E. MABEL AsTBUEY. 

